Plow



W. W. CAMERON.

PLOW. APPLICATION FILED Amm. Isls.

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PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.1. 1919.

1,41 5,31 1. Patented May 9,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

" hlt W ILLIAIVI W. CAMERON,

OF LA GROSSE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY IVIESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO FRED GERLACII AND ARNOLD I3. KELLER, TRUSTEES, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

PLOW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed February 27, 1917, Serial No. 151,347. Divided and this application filed August 1, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM WV. CAM- nRoN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at l1008 Rose Street, in the city of La Crosse, county ofIia Crosse, State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flows, of which the following is a true specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to plows, and more especially to that type of plows having carrying wheels, and that are raised and lowered from and to the ground by power operated means, usually derived from one of the wheels that sustain the plows upon the ground, and that are provided with `means for locking the plows in their raised and in their vlowered position.

rlhe object of the invention is to provide mechanism for raising and lowering the plows, and whereby-the release of such shifting means at the proper point shall be easily accomplished without strain or undue friction upon the parts, and, while operating automatically, shall be under the due control ofthe operator, who may be a driver upon a tractor engine used for pulling the plow for plowing purposes.

In the raising and lowering of plows provided with power operated mechanism, the

shifting mechanism usually consists of4 some form of clutch having parts that slidingly enter into and out of cooperative engagement,and the usual practice has been to release these parts substantially at a point when other parts come into play to lock the plows in their extreme positions, and the movement to shift and release the mechanism has come while the strain of shifting is still in progress, the resistance of the plow giving the greatest amount of friction and resistance upon the cooperating parts of the clutch. making it exceedingly difficult to accomplish the release of the parts, and to throw the locking mechanism into eect. The release and the locking of the plow are usually substantially coincidental results, accomplished just as the plow has reached its highest or its lowest position, and the parts are in a dead center relation.

In my improved device, however, I have timed the releasing mechanism so that it will automatically become effective just after the shifting parts have passed the truc dead Serial No. 314,664.

center relation, and at a point somewhat separated from the position of the locking mechanism, so that the movement of the parts, aided somewhat by the power of gravity will carry the driven member of the clutch a little faster than the driving member, and render the separation of the parts very easy, without strain and severe friction. The movement of the parts will automatically carryv them into position where the locking mechanism will automatically become effective, without positive power exerted by the driving member of the clutch. TvVhen locked, 'the parts will be in approximate, but not in actual, dead center relation, and are automatically controlled in that position, so that any strain exerted by passing over obstructions, or into ruts, and the like. will stillmake the thrust substantially across the dead center without being on the precise dead center line.

Inthe drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan of a. structure embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation; Fig. 3 is a vertical detail of the clutch mechanism having sectioned parts taken on the axis of the shifting crankadjacent the power wheel; Fig. 4 is another View of the same parts as are shown in Fig. 3, but in full lines; Fig. 5 is a detail of the lifting parts, partly in section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a detail, partly in section, of the ratchet wheel and dogs of the shifting mechanism, taken on line (3*6 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a detail of the locking mechanism, taken on' the horizontal line 7-7 of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 isa detail, partly in section, taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 3;v Fig.'9 is a detail of a piece used in the locking mechanism.

In the drawings, the numeral 11 indicates .the plow' bottoms attached to plow beams 12, which are securely braced together at the rear by braces 12a, and at the front by the U-brace 21", to form a rigid plow carrying structure. 13 is a carrying wheel travelling uponthe unplowed ground, and mounted upon they landside end of a crank shaft 14; l5 is the front furrow wheel, mounted upon a sloping stub-axle carried in the bracket 16, loosely mounted upon the plowcdground end of the crank shaft 14; 17 is 'a vertical standard rigidly secured to the bracket 16; 18 is a similar standard mounted upon the bracket 50, through which n pon the crank shaft passes the landside end of the crank shaft 14; 1,9 and 20 are brackets having internal transversely tapered openings permitting lateral oscillation of the standards therein, and which slide vertically upon the standards 17 and 18.

Forming a part of the plow carrying structure is a laterally projecting bracket reaching toward the landside at the forward end of the middle beam, comprising the barr l21, from which forwardly project draft bars 21f, for suitable connection with a tractor engine or other draft means. rlhe bracket 1) lis secured to the outer bar` 21c and the rlnacket to the beam 12.

22 is a short crank pivotally mounted upon l the brackets 23 and 2-1 rigidly attached to the franu-s 21, and having a crank arm 22 upon one end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A connecting strap 25 and 25a is, at its upper end pivotally connected to the free end of the arm 22a, and at its lower end is pivotally mounted on the crank shaft 14. Centrally of the shaft 22 is rigidly attached a lever 26 by means of the lever socket 26a.

Rigidly attached to the forward end of the plow carrying structure is a ratchet 27, concentric with the axis of the shaft 22, whereby the lever is locked in various adjusted positions, and with it the shaft 22.

Upon the opposite endy of the shaft 22 is pivotally connected the bent lever 28, its forward Send being pivotally connected to the upper end of the connecting strap 28C, the lower end of which is also pivotally mounted At the outer end of the shaft 22 is rigidly secured a ratchet 28, whereby the lever 28 is locked in various relations to the shaft 22. By means of the lever 28 and its connections with the plow carrying structure, the latter may be tilted transversely with regard to the crank shaft 14, which, with the brackets 16 and 5G and the wheels 18 and 15, constitute a supporting structure, and the level of the plow carrying structure thereby changed. By means of the lever 26 the whole plow carrying structure may be shifted vertically bodily with relation to the supporting structure, as the connections 25---25a and 28C are supported upon the crank shaft 14, and when the shaft 22 is rotated by the lever 26, the shaft 22 and with it the front end of the plow carrying structure will be shifted accordingly.

0n the pivots 17a and 182l at the tops of iaisiil the standards 17 and 18 respectively are pivotally mounted oscillating bars 29 and 31. At the front ends of these bars are connecting straps 80 and 32, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected, by means of ears 19L and 20L to the brackets 19 and 20 respectively. At the rear ends of the oscillating bars 29 and 31 are attached lifting springs 33 and 84, the lower ends of which are securedA to lugs on the rearof the brackets 16 and 50. The springs materially assist in raising the plow carrying structure and easing its descent and in carrying the parts to a locking position.

Pivotally mounted on'the pivot 18* is the upper end of a connecting strap 35, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a bell crank 36, which in turn is pivoted on the rear end of an eX- tension bar 21e of the plow carrying structure. The upper arm of the bell crank is pivoted, at 86C, to the forward end of a connecting bar 37-38, the rear end of which is pivot-ally connected to the-free end of a bell crank 89, that is freely supportedby ra strap 40 from the free or upright end portion of a crank axle 4l, having a carrying wheel 42, the upright end rof the axle laterally swivelling in an upright sleeve forming a part of a bracket 43 that is rigidly secured to the outer plow beam by means of straps 44 and 45. rlhe upper end of the axle 41 has secured thereto an arm 41a to which is pivotally secured the rear end 4of a rod 46 that at its forward end `passes through a bracket 49 rigidly secured to the plow carrying structure, the forward 'end of the rod having a threaded portion 47, and adjusting nuts 48 one on each side of the bracket. By adjusting these nuts in either direction the direction of travel of the wheel 42 may be changed slightly, to make the rear of the plows hug more or less to theland, as the necessities of plowing may require.

The rear wheel and its controlling'means' are not a part of the present invention, but the mechanism is more j narticularly described in a pending application of this applicant, Serial Number 151,847, filed Feb. 27, 1917, of which this application is a division.

My improved means for vertically shift ing and controlling the plow carrying'structure by mechanical means is described as follows: Y

Rigidly attached to the inner end of the hub 57 of the wheel 13 is a ratchet wheel 57 a, which may be made integral with the hub, and which constantly rotates about the outer portion of the crankshaft 14 as the wheel rotates. Rigidly secured to the crank shaft 14 by the key 55", adjacent to the ratchet wheel 57, is a member 55, having a sleeve 55aa and opposed arms 55a, at the outer extremities of the respective arms, and facing toward ears C and 5011, on the bracket 50, are laterally projecting lugs having cam surfaces c faced towards the direction of motion, and at the rear thereof having sockets 5511. Upon 'the opposite side the arms55a lat the extremities thereof are the opposed dogs 551", pivotally mounted thereon b y the bolts4 551 and the flanged thimbles 55g. The free ends of the dogs project inwardly, and are provided with teeth 55I1 adapted to mesh with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 57a, and normally tending to mesh therewith by the force of the respective Springs 5511, supported between the lug 55 of the arm 55 and the lug 55j of the dog 55e.

Upon the free ends of the dogs 55e are eccentrically mounted, by the bolts 56, laterally projecting pins 56, which pass beyond the arms 551l and are adapted tocontact the cam-dog 50g formed upon the outer end of the bracket 50, as shown in full lines in 8. The portion 50j of this cani, is concentric with the axis of the crank shaft 14:, but about vertically below the said axis the portion 50i progressively departs from that surface and extends to the enlarged periphery 501, which is also concentric with the crank shaft 14. At the notch501l of the cam 50 the cam surface drops backwardly or inwardly toform a short portion 501, radially below or within the shortportion 501', for a :reason explained later. inasmuch as the pins 5G Contact the cam during movement, subjecting them to wear, and it is desirable to keep the dogs at a substantially fixed distance from the teeth, of the ratchet wheel when not in working position, the eccentric mounting of the pins provides a means for adjustment for correcting the wear.

Extending upwardly from the bracket 50 is a pair of spaced ears 50C and 50d pierced with opposed holes and having a spring cavity between the bridge portions 50e (see Figs. 3 and Below the opposed holes on the ear 50C ig another hole, and through the holes is passed a bent dog 58, having a long leg 58"L and a short leg 581). The latter passes only partially across the space between the ears 50c and 50d. lNithin the spring cavity a spring 58c surrounds the leg 58a of the dog to tension against the end of the cavity and a pin 58e in the dog, whereby normally the long end of the dog is kept pressed outwardly and within the socket 5511 at the outer end of the arm 55a. Then the dog 58a is within the socket 55d the member 55 is locked from turning.

The outer face of the spring cavity is circumferentially concentric with the axis of the leg 58, and pivoted thereon is a lever 52 by means of its base or opposedl parts 51 and 52a. Formed upon the lower face of the parts 51-52l is a spiral lug 52d concentric with the axis ofthe leg 58l and in juxtaposition with the end of the short leg 581) of the dog 58, but permitting the end of the long leg 58@ to penetrate the socket 551 when the latter is opposed to that end of the dog.

Beneath its pivot and at its lower end is pivoted a connecting rod 53, the forward end of which is pivoted at 54a to the upper end of the lever 54 and securely held there by the cotter pin shown. The lower end of the lever 54 is pivoted between two ears 50f proj ecting forwardly from the lower portion of the bracket 50 and held therein by the bolt Formed in the lever is a spring box 54e, extending between which and a small lug on the bracket '50 (see Fig. 8) is aspring Y 54C, which normally holds the free end, connected by the rod 53, in forward position.

`Extending laterally toward the cam 50g, and across the face 50m, is a curved arm on the lever 54, numbered 54d. The spring 54@ normally forces the arm 54d to contact with the extremity of thepin 56. The force of the spring 541:c is greater than the force of the spring 55k, whereby the dog 55e is kept from meshing with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 57a. The thickness of the arm 54d is equal to the depth of the depression of the surface 541 below or within the periphery of the surface 501, so that when the lever 5i is moved inwardly the outer surface of the cam 50j and of the arm 5411 will circuinferem tially coincide. Then the lever 54k is in normal position the outer face of the part 54rd will circumferentially coincide with the cam Surface 501, so that the pin 56 can easily i i slide from the cam 501 to and upon the cam 54d and still keep the dog 55e out of engagement with the teeth of the clutch wheel.

At the lower end of the lever /l isa rearwardly projecting lug 54g, adapted to contact the forward surface of the bracket 50 and. prevent the spring 54C from forcing the lever further than is desirable when in normal position.

Referring to Fig. 8, it will be seen that the leg 58aN of the dog 58 is within the opening of the lug 55d, in which position the shifting mechanism is locked against movement, and that the crank portion of the crank shaft 141, shown in dotted lines, as when the plowing structure is in raised position, stands a little beyond the perpendicular. The active dog, 55e, engaged in shifting the plow, is disengaged and in the position shown in the lower position of Fig. 6. In Fig. G the crank shaft is shown in lowered position, the plows then being in the ground in lowered position` as indicated in Fig. 2, both the upper and lower dogs 55Ee being held out of clutch, the clutch wheel 57a being in continuous rotation when the plow travels forward. rlhe long leg, 582L of the dog 58 is held, by the spring 58C, within the socket of 55d on the upper arm 55, lever 52 is in upright position, while the lever 54 and the arm 5411 are in their most forward position, the arm 5411, which is in fact a movable section of the cam 50g, holding` the pin 5G, and thereby the upper dog 55e, out of engagement with the teeth of the clutch wheel, the opposite dog being held out of engagement by the extremity of the cam surface 501, as in Fig. 8.

7When it is desired to raise the plows, the operator, who may be on the tractor engine that draws the plows, pulls the lever 52 forwardly by means of a cord 52e, against the pressure of the spring 54C, whereupon the cam 52d is rotated, and forces the leg 581) outwardly, and with it the leg 5811 out of the socket 5511,which releases the upper arm from the lock, leaving the whole arm free for rotation. Simultaneously with this release the lower end of the lever 52, by means of the rod 53, pulls the lever 54 inwardly and seats the arm 5491 within the depression 50m of the cam 50g, and the spring 551i will force the upper dog 55e into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 57, whereupon the ratchet will begin to turn the crank shaft 14;, and through the link 25 and its connections and the link 28c and its connections, the shaft 22 and the brackets 23, raise the plow carrying structure, the brackets 19 and 20 sliding upwardly along the posts 17 and 18, the fore and aft walls of the brackets 19 and 20 being vertical to keep the supporting structure and the plow carrying' structure longitudinally aligned.

Meanwhile, when the lever 52 is released, the vspring 54 will force the lever ,54C backwardly, bringing the outer surface of the cam part 54d approximately in line with the cam surface 501, and the lever 52 upright, the cam 5211 returning to its original position out of the way of the leg 581 and the leg 58"L will be forced to its original position by the spring 58C, with its end in the path of the cam 55 on the ascending portion of the arm 55.

As the clutch wheel 57 moves the upper dog 55e forwardly, and downwardly, while the'lug 0r arm 54:11 is within the depression 50m, the pin 5G thereon slides downwardly over the arm and against the cam surface 501i, while the opposite pin travels along the cani 501 and keeps the opposite dog to which it is attached from engagement with the ratchet wheel as the arm 55 rotates. As the forward pin 56 reaches the surface 501 the latter begins to draw its dog from engagement with the ratchet teeth, and completely does so as the crank shaft la reaches and has passed over the axial center, and about the time the pin of the opposite dog has reached the corner of the notch 5011, and as the cam on the upper portion of the arm 55e has reached the leg 58a of the dog 58. Inasmuch as the crank shaft 14- has then passed somewhat over the center, the superimposed weight of the plow carrying structure will then cause the crank shaft to pass further over the center, the cam 55 will force the dog 58 backwardly, until the socket of the part 551 is opposite thereto, when the dog will be forced into the socket` and the parts will he again locked against further movement, the pin 56 of the then upper dog passing to the outer surface of the arm 54:11, as shown in Fig. '8; The further movement of the arm 55a caused by the weight of the plow carrying structure carries the opposite end (then the lower end) of the arm 55 further along, and with it the lower pin 56, to the conjunction of the cam surfaces 501 and 501, with the hook of the then lower dog 55e completely out of danger from engagement with the wheel ratchet.

As the front of the plow carrying structure is being raised, the arm 2le thereof turns the bell crank 36 as it rises to operate the connecting rod 37-38 to loperate the rear shifting mechanism, whereby ythe rear end of the carrying structure is raised simultaneously with the raising of the front end, the movement of 'the forward end of the carrying structure being the direct means for shifting its rear end through the connections described. The presence of the dog 58 in the socket of the part 551 holds the whole structure, front and rear, in raised position. The spring 3611 between the bell crank 3G and the plow carryingy structure, assists in shifting the trod 371-38 and associated parts.

l/Vhen it is desired to lower the plow carrying` structure, the operator again pulls forwardly upon the cord 52e, whereby the lock is again released, then the upper dog will engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel and the parts will return to their original position with the plows in the ground; but it will be noticed that when the crank shaft 14 is down, it has passed by the center on the lower travel, and the force` of the spring 33, being then at the extremity of its tension, will operate to carry the crank shaft somewhat further until the dog 59% is again in the upper socket of the then upper arm 55.

rlhe depth of penetration is regulated by the hand lever 2G, and independently of the power shifting mechanism the plow carrying structure may thereby be raised and lowered. The plow carrying structure may be leveled or tilted sidewise by the lever 28, there being sufficient freedom of parte to permit of the necessary movement for that purpose. 1

Many changes from the precise embodiment of my invention shown and described herein may be made, and still be within the scope of the invention.

Having now described my what I claim is:

l. In a plow, the combination of carrying wheels, a plow'carrying structure, a supporting structure comprising a crank shaft, a raising and lowering connection between invention,

the crank shaft and the plow carrying structure, power operated means for operating the crank shaft, means for releasing the operating means when the crank shaft has passed the dead center, a lock for the shaft, means for carrying the crank shaft from the releasing point to the locking position,

and means for releasing the lock.L

2. In a plow, the combination of carrying wheels, a plow carrying structure, a supporting structure comprising a crank shaft, a raising and lowering connection between the crank shaft and the plow carrying structure, the plow being raised when the crank shaft is above the dead center, power operated means for operating the crank shaft. means for releasing the power means when the crank shaft has passed the dead center, a lock for the crank shaft, the weight of the plow being adapted to move the crank shaft from the releasing point to locking position, and means for releasing the lock.

3. In a plow, the combination of a plow carrying structure with a supporting structure comprising carrying wheels and a crank shaft, a raising and lowering connection between the crank shaft and the plow carrying structure, the plow being lowered when the crank shaft is below the center, power operated means for rotating the crank shaft, a spring connection between the supporting structure and the plow carrying structure tensioned when the crank shaft is in its lowest position, means fon releasing the power means when the crank shaft has passed the dead center, a lock for the crank shaft, the spring being adapted to move the crank shaft from the releasing point to the locking position, and means for releasing the lock.

4a In a plow, thecombination of a plow carrying structure, with a supporting struc-- ture having carrying wheels, and means for raising and lowering the carrying structure comprising a crank, the plow carrying structure being raised when the crank is above the nection between the two structures tensioned by the shift of the plow carrying structure while lowering, an automatic lock for the crank, the weight of the plow beingadapted to move the crank from releasing position to locking position when the plow is raised, the spring` being adapted to move the crank from releasing position to locking position when the plow is lowered, and manually operated means for releasing the look.

5. In a plow, the combination of a plow carrying structure with a supporting struc,- ture, comprising a rotary member, releasable driving means for rotating the rotary member, a shifting connection between the rotatable member and the plow carrying structure, mechanism for releasing the driving means when the plow is in a shifted position, locking means cireumferentially spaced from the releasing mechanism, the

weight of the plow being used to carry the vrotary member from the releasing point to the locking point, and means for releasing the lock.

6. In a plow, the combination of a plow carrying structure with a supporting structure, comprising a rotatable member, releasable -driving means for rotating the member, a shifting connection between the rotatable member and the carrying structure, mechanism for releasing the driving member when the plow is in a shifted position, locking means circumferentialllyT spaced from the releasing mechanism, mechanism for carrying the rotatable member from the releasing mechanism tothe locking means, and means for releasing the lock.

` WILLIAM w. CAMERON. 

